Flowers have a language of their own with different species having special symbolic associations in different cultures. For me, it’s not so much these different meanings that stick in my mind but rather general feelings, imprints and memories that I relate to the flowers that were part of the scene where a particularly significant event occurred.
The fond memories of easy but far reaching and cathartic conversations with good friends.
The silent prayers and wishes for strength for the artists and the stories behind a new floral mural on the wall of the hospital at which I work.
The deep relaxing exhale and un-tensing of the shoulders as you walk into the lobby of be-flowered hotel on the first day of a holiday (or work conference overseas, #samesame).
Thoughts of the letters you’ll send with the stamps from a new book of wildflower themed stamps. Disappointingly, most will be bills or personal finance related but one day, perhaps, a stamp will grace the envelope of a letter or card written with love.
Those flowers you see blooming above you when you happen to look up at just the right moment on a day that’s been ‘a bit ordinary, to tell you the truth’.
The silk (look) flower that you bought all those years ago from Kookai when Sarah Jessica Parker was Carrie Bradshaw and your weekends were all about hitting the local Westfield in search of some fast, celebrity inspired fashion on the cheapish. This particular flower survived my moving out of home and across the country, I wore it as a nod to Cup Day to work a the year before last. Just looking at its photograph now has gotten me trying to remember where I put it last so I can wear it again.
Of course there would be amazing flowers at The Happiest Place On Earth…
Because I haven’t got remotely green thumbs, the fake flower department of gardening stores is the place you’ll find me most at home.
And in the same vein as my fake flower love is my love of a good floral accessory
or print
or even both together.
I’ll leave you with some photos of the most amazing flower filled garden I’ve ever seen…
the futuristic and surreal Sky Gardens at Gardens by the Bay.
I have particularly happy memories of this trip back home because I got to see and spend time with many of my most favourite and loved people in the whole wide world.
Singapore will always have a special place in my heart for this and many other reasons.
Do you have any special flower memories?